#22 — (From the same article…)
“…On the road from Mexico City to Laredo, down the Montezuma river valley, is the Indian town of Tamazunchale. Twenty-five miles from this town, on a rough side road, is Xilitla, where the ruins of an old Spanish monastery lie surrounded by a wall of masonry. On one side this wall is built against the side of a cliff.
“Some years ago an earthquake shook the village and part of the ancient wall collapsed, revealing a tunnel cut into the cliff.
“The sides of the tunnel bore mysterious inscriptions and figures of birds, snakes and curious unknown animals. The local Indians (natives) kept away from the passage, but one day two Americans who were passing through the village decided to explore it.
“Hours later they emerged greatly excited and left the town, stating that they would return. But they never came back. No one knows who these Americans were or what they found.
“The padres, for reasons known only to themselves, sealed the tunnel again by rebuilding the wall. In more recent years they have absolutely refused to permit exploration, although they state that they have no knowledge of what lies within -– which is probably true. Only time will reveal the answer.”
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